Huberdeau, Markstrom leading Flames into 2023

After taking some time to find consistency early in the season, the Calgary Flames enter 2023 in fine form. 

Since the start of December, the Flames are second in the Pacific Division in points percentage, trailing only the Los Angeles Kings. They sit third overall in the division after earning 20 of a possible 32 points.

Much of their turnaround can be attributed to Jacob Markstrom and Jonathan Huberdeau. Markstrom has generated headlines this season for publicly calling himself out multiple times, but has turned the corner and been very good for the Flames. Over his last 10 appearances, he has a 0.906 save percentage and is once again providing saves in critical junctures. He has also cut down on his mistakes playing the puck. 

“The same, but happier,” Markstrom responded on Monday when asked about his confidence after those early season struggles versus now.

“Throughout the year, it’s just about controlling what you can control, which is what you do at practice. I feel like that’s one thing that’s been working for me throughout my whole career, is when I feel good in practice, you put in the extra time with [goaltending coach Jason LaBarbera], it pays out in the games.”

Huberdeau, meanwhile, had 13 points in 16 games in December as his adjustment process continues. The playmaking winger has been asked to shoot more by head coach Darryl Sutter and admitted he’s at times lost confidence in his shot and passed too much, at one point joking he needed to see a psychologist. This season, he’s averaging 1.66 shots per game, a far cry from the 2.77 shots per game last season he took with the Florida Panthers where he racked up a career-high 115 points. Huberdeau has found a home on the right-side of a line with Milan Lucic and Nazem Kadri. Lucic was elevated to that top-six role after spending three games as a healthy scratch. He has three points in seven games since the promotion. 

“Chemistry is something that just happens naturally,” Lucic said.

“Sometimes when you try to force it too much, it can work against you, but when you let it happen naturally and a fit happens, obviously it can go real well…at the end of the day, you trust your instincts and try to use your hockey sense and have your head up. When you play with two guys that have elite hockey sense, they know where to go and know where to get open.”

As the season continues, it sounds like the chemistry experiment will as well. While last season’s lines didn’t change all that much, Sutter said recently that this season he’d tinker more based on who was hot and cold at that time. 

Hanifin excelling

Much of the talk in Calgary has, for good reason, been about Rasmus Andersson. The 26-year-old has 27 points in 38 games and has blossomed into a true top-pairing blueliner. He’s Sutter’s go-to defenceman versus top opponents like Connor McDavid and Anze Kopitar and plays in all situations. His partner, Noah Hanifin, has flown under the radar, but has also had a really strong season while playing a career-high 22:29 per game and having a bigger role on the penalty kill and power play.

“It’s something I take a lot of pride in and it’s a big role for the team,” he said of the matchups him and Andersson face on a nightly basis.

“It’s hard playing against top players every night, but it’s something that I’ve gotten a lot more confident in doing, especially with the five-on-five play, just making sure I’m being responsible defensively, but I also feel like the offence is starting to kick in more. I’m starting to skate more and when I skate, all the other things open up more…everyone has different styles in the way they defend. You look at a guy like [Zadorov], he’s very physical and uses his body a lot. For me, I try to use my feet and stick and be on the right side of the puck.”

Lines at practice on Monday:

Dube-Lindholm-Toffoli
Lucic-Kadri-Huberdeau
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Zohorna-Ruzicka-Lewis

Hanifin-Andersson
Weegar-Tanev
Zadorov-Stone
Mackey

Markstrom
Vladar

After leaving Saturday’s contest with an apparent wrist injury, Brett Ritchie did not skate. 

Calgary plays in Winnipeg on Tuesday.